Hero has showcased the production ready version of the much awaited HX250 at theauto expo 2016. The manufacturer has managed to keep the bike almost identical to the concept which was showcased at the previous edition of the Expo, and has even retained the same features. The new bike has been made taking inputs from numerous hero partners globally and is expected to be launched late 2016.

One thing that most people may have missed is that Hero has removed the ‘R’ from HX250r, and the upcoming bike will henceforth be called just HX250. This may be due to the rocky partnership with Erik Buell Racing, who filed for Bankruptcy last year.

Power for the new flagship comes from a quarter liter single cylinder, 4 valve, liquid cooled mill which is capable of producing 31 bhp of power and 27 NM of torque. The mill is fuel injected and is mated to a 6-speed transmission. The bike weighs 136 kg and can do 0-60 kmph in just 2.7 seconds.

Suspension duties are done by telescopic front forks and rear monoshock. Braking power comes from petal disc brakes at front and rear, and a dual channel ABS.

In terms of features the Hero HX250r gets a new tubular geodesmic frame, aluminium foot pegs and tubular swingarm, which helps to keep the bike light. The bike is also one of the smallest to get different rode modes. Other features include split seats, an analogue-digital instrument console, and Pirelli demon tires.

The Hero HX250r is one of the most anticipated bikes of this year, and will compete with the Honda CBR250r, KTM RC200 and the likes in the segment. The bike is expected to be priced near the 1.5 lakh range, undercutting its competition.